An empty house. The weekend at the school. After hours at the office. All of these buildings usually house an abundance of life and a flurry of activity normally. There does come a time, though, when each of these buildings is very desolate. Empty. Barren. Perhaps even dark. What’s worse is when we are in those places, and when we are in that place of solitude, when that feeling of being alone takes root. It’s rather uncomfortable wherever you are, even within your own home, place of work, or wherever you are. Places that are normally filling and rejuvenating can seem intimidating or frightening.
Our Advent journey has taken us through the empty house. The weekend at school. It has lead us through the office after hours. No, it hasn’t taken us on a physical journey through any of these things, but it has invited us to spiritually consider that time of darkness in salvation history. Those times when the people of Israel felt alone. When they might feel as if there is no one else watching for them or caring for them. We’ve been invited to go into those places; but why? Why should we go to that place when we are here in a time after Jesus has come? Why should all of these things bother us?
Perhaps this Sunday seeks to give us an answer to that very question.
As we are approaching the Christmas celebration, our Advent journey is starting to come to a close in some respect, even though we are a little ways off. This moment gives us an opportunity to enter into that experience: when the people realize- perhaps we aren’t alone. Perhaps there is a morning to this dark night. Perhaps Christ is near to us after all.
The first reading fills out this sentiment very beautifully. We read in the book of the prophet Zephaniah this imperative statement, “Should for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel!” These instructions are not without their motivation- why Zion should shout and Israel should sing joyfully. There are two primary reasons that he offers- first, the Lord has removed the judgement against you. This, to them, meant a time of peace. There were no longer enemies prowling for the fall of their people, and assailing them on every side. There is no need to fear further misfortune at the hands of those outside of their people, because God is on their side…
That reveals a second reason to rejoice, which Zephaniah highlights as well. “The Lord God is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear.” He is the one that will be with them as a mighty savior- and will manifest His love further in His care for them! He is the one who will sing over the nation in a joyful way- as in a festival. So, its not just that the Lord has removed punishment from afar. He is with them, and further, He wants to be there, and it’s out of His love for the people that He dwells in their midst! It is in that same vein that we hear the Responsorial Psalm: “Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel!”
The second reading, taken from Saint Paul and his letter to the Philippians. This letter is reaching it’s conclusion, and thus, Saint Paul is getting to the final “takeaway” that he wants those who are reading the letter to have with them. It is very clear what the end desire of that exhortation is: “Brothers and sisters: rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” It’s as if Saint Paul gives a simple instruction- rejoice- and then he worries they didn’t hear: rejoice, again!
Notice how Paul intertwines tasks with this exhortation, as well as a motive! After the initial petition, he speaks to them how they should be kind, but then notice: he pushes the motive for this rejoicing. “The Lord is near.” Part of this is to remind them of what they already should know- that the Lord is in their midst- that He wants to be near to them, and He listens. After giving this simple reminder, Paul encourages them further: have no anxiety at all- make your requests to God- then the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds! So, Paul gives them a simple reminder- rejoice, the Lord is with you, then to simply know that God listens and hears!
Finally, we arrive at the continuation of the Gospel of Luke, and we are again listening to John the Baptist. Our eyes are very quickly drawn to the details of what he is asking. If you have two cloaks, share.. If you have food, do the same. Stop collecting more than you should… and the list continues on. However, I want to draw out a simple phrase, that repeats itself three separate times: “What should we do?” All of these different groups of people are approaching and they are asking the same question: what should we do?
While John the Baptist gives many reminders of what they should do, there is something else that he subtly does: he draws attention away from himself. As he is listening to all of these people coming to him, he still doesn’t want attention to be drawn to what he is doing, but rather what Christ is doing. It’s not that he is the Savior, but the one who is coming- HE is the Savior! However, that does not stop him from giving this constant exhortation to continue to change- because the Lord is coming, and indeed, he is near! Luke recounts this to us as John continuing to preach “the good news” to the people.
Looking at where we are in the Advent Season, it makes sense that we are now witnessing this same exhortation to the people: all of the scriptures that we have read today focus on one reality: the Lord is near! If you go back for just a moment, Advent has taken us through those places of emptiness that the people and the nation of Israel experienced. It isn’t just a historical reality, though, is it? It isn’t even something of a literal experience. At times in our lives, we too can experience those dark and lonely places. We may have struggles that we are dealing with, perhaps vices that seem to call our name constantly, and we are so afraid that we may not have the capability to resist them, so we may become discouraged, or ignore those issues altogether. At times, we struggle with darkness in what has happened to us; past hurts or grudges cloud our hearts, and take away our joy. Maybe there is a new grief or some sort of suffering that has entered in, and it feels that we are in the darkness. Relationships, problems that appear wherever we are, maybe even difficult individuals. All of these different things: what are we to do?
One simple thing. Remember: Christ is near. Much in the same way that we see that morning twilight and begin to realize the sun is approaching, we are at that moment, not simply in the season of Advent, but it is an open invitation for all of us in our lives. God is near. Further, we need to remind ourselves, as Zephaniah did, God loves and cares for his people! He wants to come into, not just our “light” but also our darkness, especially those moments we feel are so dark, or so hopeless. The twilight is on the horizon, but we have to take action and go out to enjoy that twilight- to let it into the windows of our souls!
And, perhaps that is the challenge for us all this week, and I want to make it concrete. We all have at least one thing that is holding on in our hearts- something that is taking away our joy and our potential. We have to have the courage, not simply to enter into those dark places, but to let Jesus accompany us. That is my challenge for this week: let the light of Jesus into that dark place- maybe no one else knows about it- that doesn’t matter. What does matter is that Jesus wants to be there.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! The Lord is near.
